DC Signature collection – Action Figure Insiderhttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com
The Best Darn Toy News On The Web!Fri, 18 Aug 2017 02:00:28 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.161893577Mattel Posts Details of their Cyber Monday Saleshttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattel-posts-details-of-their-cyber-monday-sales/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattel-posts-details-of-their-cyber-monday-sales/#commentsSat, 22 Nov 2014 00:08:15 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=110762This week MattyCollector.com posted the preliminary details on their “7 Days of Cyber Monday” sales. There’s a lot of information to take in and there will be a lot more revealed next week I suspect. But in the meantime see what we know about the sale below:

The Turducken of holiday sales is back and (if it’s even possible) better than last year. Our annual seven day sale is Early Access stuffed in a Black Friday sale stuffed in a Flash Sale stuffed in a Cyber Monday sale – and this year the whole thing is basted with free shipping!

Early Access 11/25

Tuesday, 11/25 at 8:00 a.m. PT to Wednesday, 11/26 at 8:00 a.m. PT for subscribers only

All Access 11/26

Wednesday, 11/26 at 9:00 a.m. PT to Monday, 12/1 at 11:59 p.m. PT open to everyone

Free Shipping!

This year, spend $99 or more in a single order and we’ll send the entire order for free via economy anywhere we ship.

What’s Available?

For starters, remaining customer stock of hot items from 2014 will be up through the entire seven days of the sale or until sold out. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for insane discounts on DC Universe (up to 70% off!), plus Ghostbusters™, Masters of the Universe® Classics, and Epic Creations™ cosplay accessories all at savings up to 20% off.

Want more? You can double-down on the Doomsday discounts… get the all-new Doomsday in his “unleashed” look at full price or the version first offered at San Diego Comic-Con wearing his prisoner suit at 10% off. Buy BOTH in the same order and you’ll get 20% off the pair of Doomsday figures! Combined with free shipping, that’s a deal even Superman™ can’t resist.

We’ll also have some highly demanded, limited-availability items. They’ll be offered at full price with no extra discounts, but you’ll save on shipping when you include them with your order.

Hourly Flash Sales Monday, 12/1

But wait… there’s more! Watch for extra tasty deals every hour on special items that will be available only during the flash sales.

Monday, 12/1 from 9 a.m. PT to 3 p.m. PT

The Legal Stuff

Mattel reserves the right to change the sale price at any time and all sales are final. All items are limited to stock on hand and many won’t be back again. Refunds only for defective items; no replacements or exchanges. Any discounts offered are not valid on previous purchases.

Okay, that’s it for now. See you on Tuesday and happy toy collecting!

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattel-posts-details-of-their-cyber-monday-sales/feed/2110762Mattel Video: DC Universe Update-Doomsday, Super Powers & Batmanhttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattel-video-dc-universe-update-doomsday-super-powers-batman/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattel-video-dc-universe-update-doomsday-super-powers-batman/#commentsFri, 03 Oct 2014 20:53:48 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=108603Here’s your close-up look at the vintage-style DC Super Powers Collection sculpted by the Four Horsemen with build-a-figure pieces to create Kalibak. Also check out Doomsday, the final figure in Signature Series line in special 360 degree view packaging and the Batman 1966-style cowl – perfect for cosplay or display.

We were overjoyed at the news this week that DC fans would be getting one last figure released on MattyCollector at the end of the year. Ever since DOOMSDAY Unleashed was announced at the tier 2 figure for the 2014 DC Infinite Earths subscription, fans have wanted this massive Superman villain on their shelves. However we all know that the 2014 DC sub only reached 63% of it’s needed funding and did not go through. The Doomsday Bound figure was already in production and therefore was changed to be released as a 2014 SDCC exclusive. But the fans REALLY wanted this guy.

Every time they asked about getting him the answer back from Mattel was was always the same. We didn’t even reach the tier 1 minimum. Doomsday Unleashed was not coming. We were crushed. The figure was MASSIVE and was an incredible sculpt by the Four Horsemen. Fans lobbied for this figure every month since July 2013 in every monthly Q&A, on message boards, the Matty Facebook page, fans suggested every possibility, every angle and every scenario to get this figure released and each time we were told “can’t happen.”

It turns out the Matty team wanted this figure too and never gave up hope in still trying to find a home for this figure despite the line it was designed for was cancelled. They went so far as to design packaging to run it up to the powers that be at Mattel and DC Entertainment… and something cracked.

So how did this “never going to happen” figure get moved into production? We reached out to our old friend Scott Neitlich on the MattyCollector.com team, and despite him being on vacation, took the time to send us the answer to that perplexing question:

“So basically a toy we NEVER thought was going to happen. We’ve been trying to find a way to make this figure for years and just felt the line would not not be complete without him. Essentially we have tried every angle possible, from a sub incentive to a con item. Finally we just felt, “go for it” and mocked one up as a “looks like model” in package to demonstrate how great it would look as a celebratory item to honor the ending of the 6″ 4HM line. We really felt a line this great deserved to go out on a high note, even if the sub did not hit the minimum.

The packaging team went all out with an almost 360 window box including a slip case with original art by Dan Jurgens. The package comp with toy was just so beautiful no one could say no and we FINALLY got the green light!

Wow, I don’t think the team has ever tried so hard to get a single figure out. I couldn’t be more proud.

This will be without a doubt the final figure in the 6″ line, but what a way to end things?! Doomsday Unleashed will go on sale before the end of the year and will also include the ripped shreds of Superman’s cape wrapped around his hand (removable soft goods!).

The fans really showed there support and this is our way of saying thank you to our fans as DCU Classics/signature series heads into the sunset!”

We should be seeing Doomsday Unleashed for sale on MattyCollector.com sometime in December.

Thank you to Scott and the Matty team for fighting for this figure and making it happen!

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/more-on-mattels-doomsday-unleashed/feed/20107050MattyPalooza Panel Reveals #SDCC2014http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattypalloza-panel-reveals-sdcc2014/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattypalloza-panel-reveals-sdcc2014/#commentsFri, 25 Jul 2014 18:01:06 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=105647Here’s where we’ll put the pictures. See the other post for the text news!

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattypalloza-panel-reveals-sdcc2014/feed/2105647Mattel’s DC Signature Series – ICEhttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dc-signature-series-ice/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dc-signature-series-ice/#commentsMon, 16 Jun 2014 06:59:06 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=103163I’m not going to re-hash the heartbreak us fans of Mattel’s 6″ Four Horsemen sculpted DC Comics line are experiencing currently. The line is winding down with the last few figures, despite the recent announcement of Mattel extending their reign the DC Comics master-toy licensee for another 3-5 years. This week we see the release of the DC Signature Collection Ice figure. Ice would have been a huge “missing” in the line if we didn’t get her since we got Fire as part of the subscription last year.

We got hook hand Aquaman last quarter, Ice this quarter and will get Superboy next quarter

Ice comes in the standard box packaging we have seen with the run of the Club Infinite Earths subscription. The box ships in a white outer mailer box. I’m a little surprised the DCSC figures didn’t switch over to the brown recycled materials mail boxed that the MOTUC sub shifted to this year. For copyright purposes she is labeled as “DC Comics Ice.”

Tora Olas afsdotter is a princess from the Ice-people of Norway, born with the ability to project ice and snow from her body. As a member of the Global Guardians she meets Fire, and the two become an impressive crime-fighting team and eventually join forces with the Justice League to help stop Doomsday. This long-awaited DC Comics figure arrives with a clear plastic snap-on energy blast and her signature white hair.

ICE’s “ice blast” accessory – Ice comes with one accessory, a clip on “ice blast.” This translucent piece clips onto the figures of the figure.

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dc-signature-series-ice/feed/3103163Video: 2014 SDCC Figure – DC Universe Doomsdayhttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/video-2014-sdcc-figure-dc-universe-doomsday/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/video-2014-sdcc-figure-dc-universe-doomsday/#commentsFri, 30 May 2014 16:17:55 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=102515Doomsday is almost here! Scott Neitlich (aka Toy Guru) and Mattel packaging designer John Langston take you on a tour of this truly awesome figure and his packaging, an homage to the Superman, The Man of Steel #18 comic released back in November 1992.

Doomsday is available in July 2014 so click on over tohttp://ow.ly/xrfC2for details on how to get one for your own!

The ruler of Atlantis will scour the sea and the shore to give bad guys the hook… which is on the end of his own left arm. One of the most fan-demanded versions, this ’90s-era style Aquaman figure sports an impressive head of hair and a full beard. The king of the seven seas also arrives with a non-removable hook that definitely gets his point across.

Now we are truly in “the final countdown” for the DC Universe, Four Horsemen sculpted 6″ action figures. The 2014 DC Infinite Earths subscription did not fund, we will not be getting a full year of new figures. Instead we will be getting the first four figures that Mattel had planed for the first four months as quarterly figures on MattyCollector.com. We know that the line is over. Mattel has told us that in no uncertain terms, but many fans keep proposing ways to keep it going. The bright spot for me is the recently announced Super Powers anniversary send off that Mattel is giving the line.

The first quarterly figure is 90’s era “hook hand” Aquaman. Aquaman has been through a few costume and “look” changes in his 73 years, and this mid-nineties makeover was one of his more dramatic revamps. It was the 90’s, everything was grim and gritty so DC thought they needed to make the King of Atlantis more gravitas. Peter David took over as the writer of the new Aquaman book in 1994. David revamped Arthur’s looks to include the long hair and the beard. In issue #2 of that series he had arch-villian Charybdis stick Aquaman’s hand in a pool of piranhas that gnawed his hand off.

The first time we saw this version of Aquaman as a figure was back in Kenner/Hasbro’s “Total Justice” action figure line, complete with ‘fractal tech-gear.’

Mattel has given us several of the great 90’s versions of characters, such as the cast of the “Reign of the Supermen” story line, Jack Knight Starman and Az-Bats. Of course IF the sub had gone through for 2014 and beyond, many fans were hoping that we might also see other 90’s characters such as Aztek, Prometheus, 90’s Kyle Rayner and Zariel.

The good news is that Mattel and the Four Horsmen didn’t skimp on this figure. There are a LOT of newly sculpted parts. It would have been very easy for many of the details of this figure to have been done with paint, but that is not the route they took. The sculpted new legs for the side scale detail on his pants, and they sculpted all of the shoulder/arm armor.

Early pictures from Mattel, including the ones currently posted on the MattyCollector.com order page show the 90’s Aquaman figure with a flesh colored disk for the shoulder articulation of the left arm instead of gray or silver to match the armor on that arm. This had many fans asking if that color choice would be the case on the final production version of the figure.

Mattel responded that it was a necessity to run that part in the tool with the other flesh colored parts and that’s how it would appear on the final figure. However the samples they sent out to press have a silver disk, and it looks that that corrected version is what fans that order this figure will get.

The only thing that’s a bit of a miss for me is the hair. It looks as if it was sculpted to be flowing like he is swimming, but the neck articulation is not there to get him in a position where that would make sense.

This is the 5th Aquaman we’ve gotten in the DCUC/DC Signature Series/DC Unlimited line. Previous versions include: Classic Aquaman (released twice in DCUC and in the DCUC/MOTUC 2-pack), the modern variant of that figure, the blue camo costume, the New52 version and this incarnation. All those versions of himself are going to have to keep him company, because the other big “missing” in the 6″ DC line is Mera, Aquaman’s wife.

We did get two of Aquaman’s main villains in the 6″ scale – Black Manta (also 2 versions) and Ocean Master as well as Shark.

Go green on March 17! Make sure you’re here for the first of four new DCU Ultra figures. We’ve got the Total Heroes™ Green Lantern Corp arriving with three sets of heads and hands for maximum customization. And we’ve got two underwater heroes surfacing this month, starting with one of the most fan-demanded versions of the king of the seven seas…

The ‘90s-era style Aquaman with Hook figure finally arrives, along with another seaworthy super hero, Hydron™ from MOTUC, and all six Watchmen figures.

And a reminder to Club Eternia® subscribers… the Unnamed One™ is coming! We can’t tell you his story yet, but consider yourself warned.

March Subscription Key Dates

Subscriptions Renew/Cards Charged: Starting Wednesday 3/12

Subscription Orders Ship: Starting Wednesday 3/12

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattycollector-com-317-sale-releases-announced-motuc-hydron-dcu-green-lantern-corp/feed/197527Mattel’s DCSC – Batzarrohttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dcsc-batzarro/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dcsc-batzarro/#commentsSun, 15 Dec 2013 07:26:24 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=94605So we have reached the end of the DC Club Infinite Earths DC Signature Collection subscription, not just for 2013, but forever. While we will be getting 4 quarterly figures in 2014, the monthly subscription has died for DCUC fans. The 2014 CIE subscription only reached 61% of funding during the campaign.

While the 2013 sub had it’s hits and misses, over all I was pleased with the offerings and will greatly miss the convenience of a monthly figure being delivered to my home and filling out my collection. For me there was only one dud out of the 13 2913 figures… and even that one is kind of starting to grow on me. There were several figures that were much needed in the collection such as Fire, Elongated Man, Huntress and Flash. There were also some fun surprises for old school DC fans like Mallah with the Brain, Ocean Master, Freddy Freeman and Phantom Stranger.

The December CIE figure is Batzarro:

It’s opposite day in Gotham City… turn that frown upside down and you get the truly disturbing grin of Batzarro. The Joker created this evil version of Batman™ but no one will mistake this crazed criminal for the Caped Crusader. This sculpt by the Four Horsemen comes complete with eyeless cowl, all-new spiked cape, Batarang, and upside down utility belt aka ‘futility belt’

Batzarro also comes with a bat-a-rang accessory.

Batzarro is the third figure to come with a code on the back of the outer mailer box that entitles the buyer to a free digital download of a comic book staring the same character (Ocean Master was the first. Ra’s Al Ghul was the second).

This is the second action figure of Batzarro. The first was several years ago, released by DC Direct.

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dcsc-batzarro/feed/494605Ask Matty Answers for November 15th, 2013http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/ask-matty-answers-for-november-15th-2013/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/ask-matty-answers-for-november-15th-2013/#commentsSun, 17 Nov 2013 13:37:19 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=93482Twice a month the gang from Mattel are kind enough to answer five questions from AFi readers. The Mattel marketing and PR team, have replied with the answers to our latest round of questions that AFi readers have posted in our forums. Mattel recently changed the guidelines for these Q&As so they only involve items and lines sold on MattyCollector.com. These do not cover any retail lines.

Q1. Is there a way Matty can create or use the Mattel European Distribution Centre as the current shipping and custom fees the Europe is crippling the European subscriptions. If they had a European distribution centre it would make every purchase more cost effective.

A1. No. The Mattel distribution centers around the world are set up and function to send out bulk product to retailers, it is not set up for individual customer fulfillment.

Q2. Will they ever make a life size prop replica of He-Man’s Sword Of Power and She-Ra’s Sword of Protection?

A2. That would be a great item to see one day, but no plans right now!

Q3. Any chance for a semi movie accurate sword of power for the MOTUC figures?

A3. No plans at this time.

Q4. Are there plans to do more with the Back to the Future license? What are we to do with our 6″ scale hoverboards?

A4. At this time we do not have plans for additional BTTF figures or Epic Creation SKUs.

Q5. I understand that the spreading of tooling costs for the tooling of Unleashed Doomsday can no longer come from the sub due to it not going through. And appreciate the $35 price for the containment suit Doomsday at SDCC next year (was worried it would be more).

BUT… you’ve stated that SDCC and convention exclusives are granted their own budget, so is there any chance that the Unleashed version can be made as an exclusive for either retail or conventions, as part of a 2pk with the long requested light blue suited Superman under a separate budget?
The Supes would be a straight repaint people have wanted for ages, (no new tooling there, just money for old rope). If you priced it at around $50 to $60 max it would sell. If you can sell the 66 Batmobile for $60 (and that is pretty much just a plastic shell), then you could easily sell this 2pk.

A5. The catch is that the budgets for newly developed SDCC items are often to support new/upcoming company programs and are designed and produced by the retail team (even though they may be sold on Mattycollector.com). As there are no longer enough customers to support a 6″ 4HM line, the retail team will most likely put their convention resources into developing product that supports upcoming retail initiatives and current toy lines. The opportunity to support more 6″ 4HM figures has come and gone with the sub. We can only make figures when we have customers buying them and the sub not going through was basically the last call for more 6″ 4HM skus.

If you’d like to ask a question for the December 15th submission then feel free to post your questions in our Mattel Q&A question submissions thread (see link below)! Remember they can be about any Mattel product including MOTUC, Ghostbusters, WWE, any of the Mattel DC lines, Voltron and Cars. Twice a month we draw our submission question directly from the ones that AFi readers post.

Ra’s Al Ghul, aka The Demon’s Head, wants to keep it all in the family after daughter Talia Al Ghul has a son with Bruce Wayne, but his desire to make the crime fighter his heir is second to his desire to eliminate most of humanity. Brilliant physician and proud owner of unique facial hair, this criminal mastermind is one of the deadliest and smartest villains ever to face off with Batman™. The deadly doctor finally arrives in the DC Universe lineup as a 6″ figure with his signature scimitar and a non-removable cape.

Ra’s Al Ghul is the November 2013 DC Club Infinite Earths figure, the next to the last of the monthly sub figures. We’ll be getting the 4 quarterly figures next year, but with each release I get a little sad and I will miss this line when it’s over… warts and all.

Ra’s Ah Ghul is a great villain, but he’s not always visually interesting so he usually ends up pretty far down the road for Batman villains in toy lines if you get him at all. Fortunately his appearance in the Nolan Batman films has raised his profile in the public so we have gotten a few over the past decade. The character was created in 1971 by Denny O’Neil and Neil Adams and originally appeared in Detective Comics #232.

Ra’s Al Ghul uses the DCUC suit body buck that we have seen many time before on characters like the Question, Clark Kent and Phantom Stranger. This time it comes with a non-removable cape. Ra’s has had a few looks over the years, but this green suit is what I consider to be the most iconic. It’s unfortunate we will never get his daughter Talia from Mattel in this line since the 2014 sub did not go through. Ra’s has one accessory – his scimitar.

An interesting new “add-on” to the end of the DC Signature Collection is the inclusion of a code on the mailer box that gives buyers a free download of digital DC Comic featuring said character. In this instance a Batman annual starring Ra’s Al Ghul. This is a deal the DC approached Mattel with in exchange for some advertizing. It’s a great idea that I wish had happened earlier in the line.

While I was at the Mattel booth yesterday at Comikaze 2013 I was talking to Scott aka Toy Guru and he gave me a little hint that we might still be getting one last unannounced surprise for fans of DCUC and the DC Signature Classics line.

After the panel he said to me:

I’m really excited about the quarterly DCUC releases and I’m so glad we had 4 figures far enough along to have a full year “program” (and no sub needed, all are day of).

While this is definitely the “swan song” for DCUC Signature series, we couldn’t let the line go out without something special. And no I am not talking about Unleashed Doomsday, (to avoid rumors) but we do have a little special goodbye gift for the line (and the fans). I can’t say more now, but hopefully some news at New York Toy Fair. And that is definitely a wrap for 6″ 4HM! One last harrah before the curtain drops. Take a look at our booth for what we might have in mind!